Small vehicle energized on handheld launcher

ABSTRACT

A toy vehicle assembly that includes a toy vehicle coupled to a hand-held launcher. The launcher includes a manually rotated platform that is rotated by a user. Rotation of the platform causes a mechanism within the toy vehicle to store energy. The user can place the toy vehicle adjacent to a surface and release the vehicle from the launcher. The stored energy then propels the vehicle.

REFERENCE TO CROSS-RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Application No. 60/849,987 filed on Oct. 6, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hand-held toy vehicle launcher.

2. Prior Art

There have been developed toy vehicles that can move across a surface. For example, there have been developed and sold electric powered toy cars. Electric powered toys require batteries, which must be constantly replaced by the user.

There have also been developed toy vehicles that store mechanical energy that powers the toy. These are commonly referred to as wind-up toys. For example, there was marketed a toy vehicle by Darda, that stored energy by moving the wheels of the vehicle back and forth across a surface. Movement of the wheels stored energy in a wind-up motor inside the toy. Hasbro Toys marketed a line of preschool toy vehicles under the name SPEEDSTARS that were energized at a wind-up station. The wind-up station is placed on a surface such as a floor. Mattel Toys marketed a toy vehicle under the name SIZZLERS that contained a capacitor charged electric motor. Mattel Toys also marketed a toy vehicle under the name HYPERWHEELS. The HYPERWHEELS product included a toy vehicle that was coupled to a launcher. The launcher included a hand crank that could be rotated by the user to energize the toy vehicle. The launcher had a release pedal that could be depressed to launch the toy vehicle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A toy vehicle assembly that includes a toy vehicle coupled to a hand-held launcher. The launcher includes a manually rotated platform. The toy vehicle includes a mechanism that stores energy when the platform is rotated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a toy vehicle assembly;

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a toy vehicle being spun in a horizontal position;

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle being flipped up into a vertical position;

FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle placed on a surface;

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a user depressing a release button, and a safety button being depressed on the surface;

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle being launched from a launcher;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly;

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing an alternate embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly with a motorcycle shaped toy vehicle;

FIG. 9 is an illustration showing the toy vehicle being launched from a launcher;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the launcher with a light source that emits a beam of light;

FIG. 11 is an illustration showing the beam of light being directed at an object;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is an illustration of an alternate embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly with a toy helicopter;

FIG. 14 is an illustration showing the toy helicopter being launched from a launcher;

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the toy vehicle assembly shown in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is a toy vehicle assembly that includes a toy vehicle coupled to a hand-held launcher. The launcher includes a manually rotated platform that is rotated by a user. Rotation of the platform causes a mechanism within the toy vehicle to store energy. The user can place the toy vehicle adjacent to a surface and release the vehicle from the launcher. The stored energy then propels the vehicle.

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a toy vehicle assembly 10. The assembly 10 includes a hand-held launcher 12 and a toy vehicle 14. The launcher 12 includes a platform 16 pivotally connected to a handle 18. The platform 16 includes an output shaft 20 that is coupled to the toy vehicle 14. The platform 16 may also have a guide tab 22 and a release mechanism 24. The release mechanism 24 can secure and release the toy vehicle 14 from the launcher 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, a user can spin the platform 16 and toy vehicle 14 with a twisting motion of their wrist. Rotation of the platform 16 causes a corresponding rotation of the output shaft 20 shown in FIG. 1. The energy created by the rotating output shaft is transferred to and stored by the toy vehicle 14. The launcher 12 may have a toy tachomotor 26 that provides a read-out representing a rotational speed of the platform 16, or a value that corresponds to the stored energy within the vehicle. The tachometer 26 may be electronic or mechanical in nature. The launcher 12 may include a speaker 28 that generates a sound. The sound may be correspond to a motor warming up or other similar sounds. The sound may be produced by an electronic chip, or a mechanical device such as needle scratching a plastic speaker.

As shown in FIG. 3 the platform 16 may include a pivot assembly 30 that allows the user to move the toy vehicle 14 from a horizontal position to a vertical position. As shown in FIG. 4, once the toy vehicle 14 is fully energized it can be placed on a surface in a horizontal position. As shown in FIG. 5, the user may depress a release button 32 to release the toy vehicle 14 from the launcher 12. The platform 16 may include a safety button 34 that must be depressed before the toy vehicle 14 is fully released from the launcher 12. The safety button 34 insures that the vehicle 14 is on a surface and is not released while spinning or otherwise in the air. Once released, the stored energy propels the toy vehicle 14 as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly 10. The toy vehicle 14 may include a plastic housing constructed from upper 40 and lower 42 parts. The vehicle 14 may further have front wheels 44, coupled together by an axle 46, and a pair of rear wheels 48. The rear wheels 48 may be connected to the axle of a “wind-up” motor 50. The wind-up motor 50 may include a spring (not shown) that can store energy. The wind-up motor 50 can be coupled to a gear assembly 52.

The launcher 12 may include a pair of handle body parts, 54 and 56. Mounted to the handle body parts are a pair of platform body parts 58 and 60. The platform parts are attached to a launcher part 62. The launcher part 62 is pivotally connected to a pivot part 64 by a pivot pin 66 that allows part 62 to pivot about part 64. The pivot 64 is secured to parts 58 and 60 by pin 66.

The launcher includes a spring biased release tab assembly 68 that is coupled to a release button 70 by a connector plate 72 and release pin 74.

The launcher includes a gear pedestal 76 that is mounted to the handle parts 54 and 56. The gear pedestal 76 is coupled to an output shaft 78 by a transfer gear 80 and gear assembly 82. The launcher gear is connected to parts 58 and 60 by axle 66. The output shaft 78 is coupled to the gear assembly 52 when the toy vehicle 14 is loaded onto the launcher 12.

Rotation of the platform (parts 58, 60, 62 and 64) causes the transfer gear 80 to rotate about the gear pedestal 76. Rotation of the transfer gear 80 is transferred into rotation of the output shaft 78 through gear assembly 82. Rotation of the output shaft 78 rotates gear assembly 52 and causes the wind-up motor 50 to store energy. When the toy vehicle is released the stored energy within the wind-up motor 50 rotates the rear wheels 48 and propels the vehicle.

FIG. 8 shows an alternate embodiment of a toy vehicle assembly 100. The assembly 100 includes a hand held launcher 102 and a toy vehicle 104 shaped as a toy motorcycle. The launcher 102 includes a rotating platform 106 that can spin and transfer energy to the toy vehicle 104.

As shown in FIG. 9 a user can depress a release button 108 to release the vehicle 104. The platform 106 may have a pair of pins 110 that capture and release the vehicle 104. As shown in FIG. 10 the launcher 102 may include a light source 112 that emits a beam of light 114. By way of example, the light source 110 may be a laser diode. The launcher 102 may include a safety switch 116 that inhibits the laser diode unless the launcher is on a surface. This may minimize a user from inadvertently directing a laser beam into someone's eye.

As shown in FIG. 11 the light beam may be directed at a target 118 to simulate a laser guiding of the toy vehicle 104.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the toy vehicle assembly 100. The assembly 100 includes a platform housing assembly 120 mounted to pair of launcher handle parts 121 and 122. The handle parts support a gear shift button 124 that is coupled to a two speed transmission gear assembly 126 by a spring biased shaft assembly 128. The button 124 can be manipulated by the user to shift the gear ratio of the gear assembly 126. The user can thus spin the toy vehicle at one gear, shift gears through the button 124, and continue to spin the toy vehicle in another gear. The launcher may also have a release button 130 coupled to a spring biased release tab assembly 132.

The toy vehicle may include a front wheel 134 coupled to a main body part 136 by a fork assembly 138. The toy vehicle may also have a flywheel 140 attached to a rear wheel 142 and a gear 144. The gear 144 is coupled to the gear assembly 126 when the toy vehicle is coupled to the launcher. Rotation of the platform 120 causes a corresponding rotation of the gear assembly 126. The gear assembly rotates gear 144 and flywheel 140. The vehicle flywheel 140 stores energy so that when the toy vehicle is released the flywheel 144 rotates the rear wheel 142 and propels the vehicle. By way of example, the flywheel 140 may reach 6000 revolutions per minute (“rpm”) before being launched.

FIG. 13 shows an alternate embodiment of a toy vehicle assembly 200. The assembly 200 includes a launcher 202 and a toy vehicle 204 constructed as a toy helicopter. The launcher 202 includes a spinning platform 206 that can transfer energy to the helicopter. As shown in FIG. 14 the toy vehicle 204 lifts from the launcher 202 when it is released.

FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of the assembly 200. The assembly 200 includes a platform part assembly 202 that is mounted to a pair of handle parts 204 and 206. The toy vehicle includes a shaft 210 that is attached to a blade 212 mounted to a body part assembly 214. The vehicle includes a flywheel 216 that is attached to a gear 218 and coupled to the blade 212 by shaft 220. Gear 218 is coupled to a two speed transmission gear assembly 222 by gear 224. The gear assembly 222 is coupled to a button 226 by a spring biased shaft assembly 228. The button 226 can be manipulated by the user to change the gear ratio of the gear assembly 222. The toy vehicle can be captured and released from the launcher through a release linkage 230.

Rotation of the platform 202 causes rotation of the gear assembly 222 which is transferred into the flywheel 216. When the toy vehicle is released the energy in the flywheel rotates the blade 212 to lift the vehicle from the launcher. By way of example, the flywheel 216 may reach 10,000 rpm before being launched.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art. 

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A method for launching a toy vehicle, comprising: manipulating a hand-held launcher to rotate a toy vehicle about a handle so that the toy vehicle stores energy; placing the toy vehicle adjacent to a surface; releasing the toy vehicle from the hand-held launcher; and, moving the toy vehicle with the energy.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a light source from the hand-held launcher.
 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising emitting a sound from the hand-held launcher.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the toy vehicle is rotated in a vertical position and released in a horizontal position. 